Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen
Getting to Nozawa Onsen from Tokyo & Osaka
How to get from Osaka & Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen
Nozawa Onsen Access Guide
Welcome to the Nozawa Onsen Access Guide.
Getting from Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen and other major Japanese cities is quite straightforward via bus, train, car or shuttle.
Where is Nozawa Onsen?
Nozawa Onsen is located in the far north of Nagano Prefecture in central Honshu Island, Japan. The area is easily accessed from both international airports in Tokyo (Narita & Haneda) by shinkansen (bullet train), airport shuttle, taxi, rental car or bus.
How long to get to Nozawa Onsen?
The total travel time from Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen is usually between 3-4 hours via shinkansen bullet train/bus or around 6 hours via airport shuttle. There are also several options from the international airports in Nagoya and Osaka (Kansai). This usually takes between 6-7 hours.
Search for Nozawa accommodation options
From Narita, Haneda & Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen
Via Shinkansen and Connecting Bus
Catch the train from Narita Airport or Haneda Airport to Tokyo Station (see here for full instructions).
Follow the green signs for the Hokuriku Shinkansen which usually leave from Platforms 22 or 23 at Tokyo Station (see map here). Take the shinkansen bound for Kanazawa and get off at Iiyama Station. IMPORTANT NOTE: Not all trains stop at Iiyama Station so check the schedule carefully. You can also alight at Nagano Station and switch to the local train (40 minutes) on the Iiyama Line or take an express bus to Nozawa Onsen. If staying overnight in Nagano City you can book hotels here.
The journey usually takes between 1.5 – 2.5 hours (average is just under two hours). The shinkansen service runs frequently until 10.00pm each day. The non-reserved cars are to the rear heading to Kanazawa (usually car nos. 1-3). All cars are non smoking. There are between 2-3 trains per hour. You can reserve your tickets using the Japan Rail online reservation system.
Here’s how you change trains to the shinkansen in Tokyo
From Osaka, Kyoto & Nagoya to Nozawa
Airport and resorts shuttles. Starting from only 5,900 yen. Book online!
There are three main choices for getting to Nozawa Onsen from Kyoto and Osaka.
1. From Shin-Osaka or Kyoto station, catch the Tokkaido Shinkansen to Nagoya (usual travel time is 40-55 minutes). Transfer at Nagoya Station to the Chuo Honsen line and catch the Shinano Limited Express bound for Nagano Station (normal transit is 3 hours) that travels through the scenic Kiso Valley. Keep your camera out as there is some beautiful scenery along the way. At Nagano transfer to the shinkansen or local line to Iiyama Station
2. Take the express train to Kanazawa Station and then change to the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama Station. This journey goes via the Japan Sea coast and is a more expensive option.
3. A direct overnight highway bus from to Nagano from Kyoto & Osaka is available from Alpico Bus Line. From Nagano you can connect to an express bus to Nozawa Onsen
Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen
Private transfer to Nozawa Onsen
Tokyo to Nozawa Onsen
Driving to Nozawa Onsen
Driving to Nozawa Onsen is a straightforward exercise. Follow the diagrammatic as below.
Nozawa Onsen Rental Car
If you are only intending to stay in Nozawa Onsen then there is no need for a rental car as getting around the village is easy. However if you want to head off to check out nearby resorts or perhaps some day tours it’s good to have a car.
There are now numerous companies offering Nozawa Onsen car rentals in English (as well as support in English), plus some cars can come with English GPS. Most major car rental companies have branches in Nagano and Iiyama but obviously can also only be found in major cities such as Tokyo or Narita. There is a far greater range of choice to be found in Nagano. Check the bottom of this page for tips on renting cars in Japan.
Your nearest rental points are Nagano and Iiyama Station. For ease of pre-booking a rental car online and great selection enter ‘Iiyama’ or ‘Nagano’ (wait for autocomplete) and your dates below and it will come up with a few options. Nagano has many more choices than Iiyama. Most rental shops don’t open until at least 9.00am so don’t enter an earlier time than this or it may show ‘no availability’.
Nozawa Onsen to Togari Onsen
